The present invention relates to a configuration for protecting a Schottky diode against momentary over-current pulses.
In numerous applications of diodes in which the latter are operated in a rapid sequence alternately in the reverse direction and in the forward direction, a minimum storage charge is sought in the diodes since switching losses are caused by the charge during recommutation of the diodes. In this respect, then, Schottky diodes are distinctly superior to diodes with a PN junction, that is to say PN diodes and PIN diodes, since, as is known, the Schottky diodes have no flooding charge in the semiconductor body. For this reason Schottky diodes are preferably used per se in applications in which diodes are operated in a rapid sequence alternately in the reverse direction and in the forward direction.
However, owing to the band structure of the customary semiconductor material silicon and of the Schottky contacts applied thereto, only a maximum reverse voltage of about 200 V can be applied to Schottky diodes with tenable reverse currents. Compared with Schottky diodes made of silicon, Schottky diodes made of semiconductor materials with a large band gap, such as silicon carbide (SiC), for example, have the advantage of a considerably higher reverse voltage. Thus, the reverse voltage can reach values in excess of 1700 V in the case of SiC.
A method for producing a SiC diode is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,311, for example.
In Schottky diodes, given a constant current I, a diode forward voltage Vf increases with the temperature T of the Schottky diode, in which case, by way of example, in the case of SiC, a resistance R thereof is approximately proportional to T2.5. As a result, the power loss rises in the Schottky diode, which leads to further heating. When a critical current applied over a fixed time is exceeded, the result is thus a strong non-linear increase in the diode forward voltage Vf.
This relationship is shown in FIG. 5, in which the diode forward voltage Vf is plotted as a function of the diode forward current If for three different diodes at a temperature of 25xc2x0 C. and twice at a temperature of 100xc2x0 C. In this case, the diodes used were SiC Schottky diodes configured for 4 A (DC or direct current), to which sinusoidal over-current pulses were applied for a time of 10 ms in each case and the peak values of the diode forward voltage Vf were measured. Current values at which destruction of the diode occurred are indicated by black points.
As is known, momentary aperiodic over-current spikes can occur in a wide variety of electronic circuits. This is the case, for example, if backup capacitors are charged when such an electronic circuit is switched on. The components that are stressed by such over-current spikes must be configured for these aperiodic loads. They are therefore generally over dimensioned, which, however, impairs the further dynamic properties of the components and leads to higher costs for the latter.
An unprotected power factor correction (PFC) stage of a switched-mode power supply shall be mentioned as an example. In the case of such a PFC stage, after the power supply has been switched on, the MOSFET switches are initially turned off, the backup capacitor being charged in this state. As an example, the capacitance of the backup capacitor may be up to about 220 xcexcF in the case of a switched-mode power supply configured for 300 W. The current flowing via the diode of the PFC stage then reaches a maximum of up to 70 A, and the I2t load can assume values of the order of magnitude of in excess of 4A2s, as can also be seen from FIG. 6, in which the input voltage of a 300 W power supply and the diode current of the Si-PIN diode of the power supply are plotted as a function of the time t after switch-on.
At the present time, various measures are usually taken into consideration in order to protect Si-PIN diodes or the power supply system against switch-on spikes.
First, it is conceivable to subject the diodes to over dimensioning, so that they at all events withstand current spikes that are to be expected. However, such over dimensioning results in an increase in the storage charge, which entails increased switching losses during operation and higher device costs.
Furthermore, a NTC thermistor can be connected in series with the diodes. By way of example, it is possible to use NTC thermistors with cold resistances of about 10 xcexa9 in order to reduce switch-on current spikes in power supplies with a higher power above 250 W, in order that power supply disturbances and triggering of automatic protection devices are avoided. However, when such NTC thermistors are used, a residual resistance of about 0.5 xcexa9 for a 300 W power supply results in the operating state, which leads to an additional steady-state power loss of approximately 1 W at the NTC thermistor.
In higher quality power supplies, it is also possible to use so-called xe2x80x9cbootstrapxe2x80x9d resistors which, in a manner similar to NTC thermistors, are connected in series with the diodes. A semiconductor switch connected in parallel with the bootstrap resistors, such as, in particular, an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or a thyristor, then short-circuits the bootstrap resistor after a switch-on. Such a measure is relatively complicated, but practically no additional power loss occurs in normal operation.
As has already been mentioned in the introduction, Schottky diodes have the advantage of an extremely low recovery charge, xe2x80x9cWide Band Gapxe2x80x9d Schottky diodes, based on semiconductor materials with a large band gap, additionally achieve high reverse voltages with small leakage currents. For this reason, the use of, for example, SiC Schottky diodes in PFC stages of switched-mode power supplies is a possibilityxe2x80x94which has already been taken into consideration for a relatively long timexe2x80x94for realizing operation alternating in a rapid sequence in the reverse direction and in the forward direction in the case of such switched-mode power supplies. This leads to minimized dynamic losses in comparison with conventional PIN diodes.
However, since such Schottky diodes react extremely sensitively to high switch-on currents, as has already been mentioned in the introduction, they should always be protected against such switch-on current spikes.
The protection measures taken into consideration above for PIN diodes pose particular problems, when used for Schottky diodes.
A high degree of over dimensioning of the diode area is critical not so much because of the increasing storage charge but more because of the costs of the basic material for the Schottky diodes. In particular, this applies to compound semiconductors such as SiC, for example.
With the use of an NTC thermistor, by way of example, for the protection of an SiC Schottky diode with a continuous current of 4 A for a 300 W power supply, an NTC thermistor with a cold resistance of 20 xcexa9 is required in order that the Sic diode can be effectively protected, as experiments have shown. However, such an NTC thermistor significantly increases the power loss in normal operation. Moreover, an NTC thermistor would always have to be incorporated even in lower-power power supplies. Furthermore, with the use of an NTC thermistor, it is necessary to comply with a delay of approximately 10 s when switch-on is effected again, during which delay the NTC thermistor can cool down.
The use of a bootstrap resistor is readily possible in theory. In practice, however, it is ruled out for cost reasons in most applications.
Finally, in particular in the case of semiconductor materials with a large band gap, it would also be conceivable to surround the Schottky diode by, for example, a P+-doped protective ring. However, this measure is associated with a significant increase in the area requirement for the chip of the Schottky diode by about 20%. The high wafer costs for such semiconductor materials and the need for further process steps restrict the applicability of this solution.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a protection configuration for a Schottky diode which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which can protect the latter against momentary over-current pulses reliably and without a high outlay.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for protecting a Schottky diode against momentary over-current pulses. The configuration contains a series circuit having at least two diodes, selected from the group consisting of Si-PIN diodes and Si-PN diodes, disposed in parallel with the Schottky diode. The Schottky diode is produced from a semiconductor material having a band gap greater than a band gap of silicon.
The Schottky diode preferably contains a compound semiconductor and has a large band gap. A suitable semiconductor material is SiC. However, it is also possible to use GaN, for example.
Thus, in the case of the configuration according to the invention, sufficient protection of the Schottky diode is ensured by connecting in parallel two series-connected Si-PIN (or Si-PN) diodes, which applies in particular to operation with a switch-on current. However, it is also to possible to use more than two Si-PIN or Si-PN diodes. The PIN (or PN) diodes accept the main proportion of the current at the latest in the current range for which the Schottky diode exhibits a great rise in the diode forward voltage Vf (see FIG. 5). In normal operation, a voltage Vf of about 1.4 V is dropped across a SiC Schottky diode, for example. The PIN (or PN) diodes are then not active (the threshold voltage of Si-PN diodes is approximately 0.73 V, so that the voltage assumes a value of about 1.46 V in the case of two diodes connected in series), and only a negligibly small additional storage charge is obtained by them.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the Schottky diode is produced from a compound semiconductor. More specifically, the Schottky diode is produced from SiC or GaN.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, a silicon body is provide and the at least two diodes are integrated in the silicon body. A further Schottky diode can be disposed in series with the at least two diodes in the silicon body.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, a housing is provided, and the Schottky diode and the at least two diodes are disposed together in the housing.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a switched-mode power supply having a power factor correction (PFC) stage is provided, and the Schottky diode and the at least two diodes are disposed in the PFC stage of the switched-mode power supply.
In accordance with a further added feature of the invention, the further Schottky diode connected in series with the at least two diodes is also disposed in the housing or the PFC stage.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the series circuit having the at least two diodes has an N-doped layer with a surface breakdown charge being less than 1.8xc3x971012 cm2 charge carriers.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a protection configuration for a Schottky diode, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.